Nina In New York: Is It Spring Yet?

A young professional's take on the trials and tribulations of everyday life in New York City.
______________________________________________________________

By Nina Pajak

I am starting to lose my mind.

It's okay though, it happens every year.

Now is the time when I begin wearing shoes without socks and ankle pants. I avoid my winter coat at all costs and have abandoned my hat almost entirely (except on greasy hair days, when it comes in quite handy). Forget the fact that winds are gusting at 25 miles an hour and I've lost sensation in six of my toes. I don't care that it's only March. It's spring, damn it.

Last week, when the sky was getting ready to open up and dump 40 feet of rain on us, I chose to mark the occasion of it being above 45 degrees with my first Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee of "the season." No, not winter! It's spring, okay? Remember? It has to be spring. It just. Has. To be.

When I was in high school, I used to wear a tank top and a lightweight hoodie almost every single day of the year. My parents would frequently comment that being unable to dress appropriately for the weather is often a sign of mental illness. Whatever. What I'm doing is all I can to preserve my sanity. If I have to wear cold weather accessories and insulated footwear much longer, it's only a matter of time before I snap and rip everything off and go running barefoot and sleeveless through the park.

I know I'm not alone here. I see you guys, walking down the sidewalk in your gym shorts. I see you silly girls, shivering at 3 a.m. in a mini-dress, one degree away from being hospitalized for exposure. I understand! I really do.

How long can we be expected to endure this weather, anyway? Every year it feels a little longer, a little more interminable until the end of days. And then once it comes, it's gone in a flash, almost instantly replaced by oppressive, smelly, sticky, melty city heat. So we have to start spring a little early, actual weather notwithstanding. Forget your frozen fingers! You can tough it out. You just have to commit to the concept and you'll be fine.

Or numb. Same effect. Whatever!

Are you ready to trade your steam hot cappuccino for an iced coffee? Let us know in the comments section…